Life. Moves. On.

"In three words I can sum up everything I've learned about life...it goes on."- Robert Frost

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"Almost everything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes...including you."

It’s always been in my nature to work, work, work. I get it from my parents. However, I also love my downtime -it’s how and where I refuel my drive, passion, and creativity. We all need a place or thing that gives that to us and I don’t think a person should be it. Find something you love like walking, laying in the park, doing a puzzle, hiking, etc. Whatever it is, build your schedule around it. That was the best advice a doctor once gave me. We put things like taking care of ourselves after we’ve build our busy schedules like getting a massage, facial, etc. The truth is- these are the important, take care of yourself activities that will ignite your fire again. Rest, when you need to. Today, I’m taking an off day and taking my dogs hiking. It’s important for me to spend time with them and more importantly, to feel at one with nature. It’s where I feel inspired to write for you. This year, I ask you to do more kind things for yourself. Watch how much you’ll glow with a little more rest.

Bubba always reminds me that things don't always look like we think they will. Before getting him, I thought having a dog would be a breeze. I thought all dogs were going to be the same... feed them, walk them, let them sleep. Easy.

I quickly learned otherwise when I brought him home. He wasn't immediately affectionate. I needed to allow time to build a bond with him. He didn't immediately trust me. I needed to allow adventures together show him he could trust me to protect him.

He reminds me often that I cannot expect others to perceive life the way I do. Just because two people think, react, or feel differently about things does not mean they aren't right for one another or compatible. It simply means that it is up to us if we want to take the time to learn why they think differently.

Remember, your job is never to change people but to decide if what they offer, think, believe, want, and need is something you're ok with accepting into YOUR life. Ask yourself, is this difference between the way we think too great to keep us striving for greatness.

Pick your battles and remember there's more to life than meets the eyes. What do you feel inside?

WHAT I LIKE ABOUT HER IS THAT SHE BLOOMS WHETHER YOU WATER HER OR NOT.

WHETHER YOU GIVE HER LIGHT OR NOT.

SHE EXISTS WITHOUT YOUR EXISTENCE.

I wish more women knew that they didn’t need a man to define their worth. That they are enough. That being single doesn’t mean lonely or alone. I wish they could see what I see...someone who is simply beautiful. Ladies, please don’t think that because you’re single it defines who you are as a person. Being single is not a curse. Enjoy your journey...even if it doesn’t make sense today. But most importantly, learn to water your own garden and be nice to it. Water it with compliments, love, and nurture it as if it relied heavily on only your words. What would you say? The way you speak to yourself, your soul, prepares you of the kind of relationships you’ll allow in your garden. Remember, you’re a rose that’s rare and not everyone will see your worth. Some will fear your thorns and some will prefer a different color. That’s okay. All that matters is what YOU think of your garden. So, let me ask you again. How do you speak to your garden? Is it growing or in desperate need of TLC?

I always thought it was interesting how rarely we celebrate those who are willing to give love a chance again. Maybe it’s because often we see people jump from one relationship to another. Yet, there are so many who lock up the doors...swear they won’t go out anymore. Well, I’m here to recognize those who are willing to give love another shot. I am here to tell you that I admire your bravery. Having your heart broken, betrayed, and devalued isn’t easy to come back from. It isn’t to be open to love, to have faith, or to believe when you’ve been shown otherwise. This is why I want you to know that I see you, all the way over there, trying again. It’s beautiful. It’s empowering. It’s encouraging. The truth is, you either get bitter or you become better. Take what has been dealt to you and allow it to make you better, stronger, wiser. A lot of what weighs you down isn’t yours to carry. Let go, live free, and find your faith in humanity again.

"The truth of the matter is breakups are a shock to our consciousness because for so long we were unified with another soul and souls recognize each other by vibes. Losing another soul is like losing a sensation in ourselves. It's like learning to walk again. It's new. It's strange. It's change. Don't be afraid of the unfamiliar, love. No matter how much it hurts- let it hurt. No matter how much it changes you- let it change you. Don't resist what needs to occur to take you where you've always needed to be. That's the beauty of the journey. No matter how much you want to think you're in control of it, your density has been predetermined. So, let go and just enjoy it for what it is- a stepping stone to who you'll become."

One of my followers sent me a message this morning. She is looking to feel happy again after giving her ex a second chance to only find he disappointed her…again. In her words, “I don’t know why I wasn’t enough for him. I feel used.” Truth be told, it wasn’t her that wasn’t good enough.

It was always him. I told her that someone’s inability to stay exclusive with someone has no fault on you as a person, rather a weakness they carry. When a relationship ends, we quickly assume it has to do with us. Maybe it is because the person said we weren’t enough or maybe they cheated…leaving us feeling “not enough.” When you find yourself doubting your worth, remember a few things.

1️⃣ This had to occur for you to get where you’re going. You may not see it now, but have faith that something greater is ahead for you. The difficult part is not knowing when it’ll come, but believe it will and you’ll have something to keep working towards.

2️⃣ You don’t have to be who you were before you knew them. After a breakup, we tend to feel lost because we want to go back in time to who we were before we had them in our lives. I hate to break it to you, but you’ll never be that person again. You’ll have pieces of that person, but you’re different.

You have new experiences, memories and stories that have shaped you. Stop fighting yourself and learn to embrace the broken road that will lead you to where you are destined to be. Lastly, remember the inner warrior within you. She wouldn’t take this shit and you shouldn’t either. Don’t let someone take advantage of your heart. ✋️

My dog, Bubba, teaches me so many lessons on a daily basis. One of the most important lessons he's taught me thus far is to not judge a book by its cover. His breed is often misunderstood and judged. It's easy to do that with people -without even knowing them or their story based on what we've come to think a certain look, personality or attitude embodies. Perception is different for everyone and how we view people may not be the same as another person sees them. Sometimes we avoid dating new people because of this perception we have in our minds of how that person will be in a relationship. Maybe it's because we know what kind of partner they were to someone before or maybe we don't know anything about them...but want to believe we do. I've learned through Bubba that judging another person does not define them, but us. It does not help protect us in any way, rather eliminates what we may be able to get from someone's company. Whether it's good or bad, there's always something to gain from letting people be who they are. It doesn't mean you have to love and accept it into your life or even like it; but it gives you an opportunity to remember that we're all human and the beauty of it is that our stories are what make us who we are...not the perceptions others have painted for us. Give people a chance to show you who they are before you paint an image of them.

This fine goofball is living proof that his breed is all about love & loyalty. Ban stupid people, not dogs.

I've always been fascinated by photography. When I was a kid, I'd carry around a disposable camera and sometimes my mom would print 15/30 blank photos. When I got into middle and high school, I carried around a camera and took photos with classmates almost everyday. I've created 65+ scrapbooks for myself and for others. Growing up, my mom used photos of us as a way to share with her family overseas how we've changed and have grown. Today, they thankfully "keep up" with me through my Instagram photos. A few years ago, when I was in a weird place in my life, I realized that I had few pictures of myself. I had so many photos of others and their memories, not realizing at the time that no one was taking photos of me. This made me extremely sad because one day when I look back like I do on photos I have now, I want to remember these moments that have shaped me from who I was then till now. I want to remember places, because though you can't see what someone feels inside all the time, a photo can trigger a memory- how I felt that day, where I was in my life, etc. I promised myself from then on, I'd capture everything- the good, the bad, the ugly. It doesn't matter what people think or if they know what's going on behind that photo...all that matters is that you know. Life is short and sometimes all we have to share our stories is photos. Capture everything.

The crazy thing about adventures is that you never know when parts of your heart will spontaneously burst out your heart and stay behind.

When life seems challenging, it's difficult to find the light at the end of the tunnel. However, it's in these moments that we have to try the hardest to find the good in a not so good moment. I was told a while back to say thank you when life is sweet& to celebrate. On the other hand, when life is tough...we must remain thankful and grow.

I've gotten where I am today all thanks to always seeking peace of mind. A positive headspace, hard work, perseverance, belief, and the courage to keep going. This isn't something I've reached and have thrown my hands up in the air in celebration for. This is something I practice daily, because if I didn't, I'd probably be very bitter, sad, angry, confused and lost. We all end up where we are meant to be and part of that journey is learning to love the parts that have made you who you are. That means the bad times, too. They all shape us, make us...but I promise, it won't break you unless you let it. My hope for you is that you keep your eyes in the direction of your future without fearing he past that's been left in the dust.

I received an email this morning from a follower struggling with "fitting in to society." She told me that she felt like she didn't belong and that she was the odd one in her group of friends. By odd, she meant that she didn't like the same things they did. I asked her why she felt that she had to perceive her uniqueness as a bad thing. Growing up and even sometimes now, I am almost always the only one of my friends sober. Drinking never was for me. Every now and then, I'm asked to drink or asked why I don't. It doesn't bother me to explain why, because I'm ok with my answer. I think accepting who we are is one of the bravest things we do in a world that teaches us to be like everyone else. We're taught to be ourselves from a young age, yet sadly, those same people are often bullied. If you feel at a crossroads to trying to fit in or be yourself, I beg you to choose your happiness first. There is no greater freedom, happiness and peace that comes with finally being at a place in your life where you're ok with who you are. We all have a past, a present and a future. You are not tied to your past and your present moment doesn't have to be you in the future. My advice? Pay attention to your senses and follow your gut. Listen to the fire that burns inside of you when you're in the midst of doing something you love. Listen to that innocence within you that wasn't afraid of being judged. Be you, do you and stay true to YOU...oh, and let your toes touch the sky. ❤️ #beyourself #loveyourself #journey #therapy #writing